Meatloaf

[BrianShaw]

Re: Meatloaf

Time to form the 'Traditional Meatloaf Anti-Defamation League"...

Or maybe the "Meatloaf Diversity Association"...

I'd join the former, and protest against the latter.

Traditional meatloaf is a uniquely American dish, if I recall my food history correctly. Only meatloaf with Catsup in and/or on it is worthy of being called 'meatloaf'. All else should be given unique names.

The French call it Pate... and that's fine with me. Let's celebrate the difference!

Minced-meat-with-vegetable loaf is a fine name for a loaf containing minced meat and assorted vegetables.

Argentinian brisket loaf anointed with chimichurri sauce is a fine name... why hide such a fine collection of ingredients behind a generic name like 'meatloaf'?

C'mon folks... meatloaf, in all of it's traditional glory, is supposed to be relatively tasteless and slathered with carmelized tomato catsup. It is practically the Eleventh Comandment. What better meat concoction to accompany relatively bland mashed potatoes????

OK, okay... I must admit that I'm sometimes a bit two-faced... every once-in-a-blue-moon I'll cover my "traditional American meatloaf" with bacon. I propose that this be a special exception to the "catsup rule".


... and I am a bit conflicted about the provision of brown gravy on a plate of meatloaf and mashed that is often seen in diners. If I take my medication I can sometimes eat it without gagging or yelling in multiple languages , "this isn't traditional; stop defaming the meatloaf!"

(Well, maybe not several languages per se... but I am proficient in 'American English' with several different regional dialects so I pretend to be multi-lingual)

[Frances]

Re: Meatloaf

That's so cool, I'm glad you liked it!

So, are you going post the Argentinian recipe, or are you going to try it out for us first?

[sarah h]

Re: Meatloaf

... and it (Frances' recipe) was delicious!

Archena, I guess you can sign me up.

Shortly after reading this thread, I stumbled across another new meatloaf recipe - funny how that happens - that I will now have to try. It's an Argentinian-flavoured meatloaf, made with ground brisket (don't know as I'll go that far though) and chili powder among other things, and has a chimichurri sauce (had that before and it's really good) that goes on top - look what this has started!

[Archena]

Re: Meatloaf



Time to form the 'Traditional Meatloaf Anti-Defamation League"...

Or maybe the "Meatloaf Diversity Association"...

Meatloaf everywhere should be able to live in peace without persecution - at least until dinner time....

[sarah h]

Re: Meatloaf

OK, I have never been a fan of meatloaf, but the only ones I've ever tried are those nasty ketchup ones, so, Frances, I have whipped up your recipe and will get to try it out in an hour or so.
I've just hit the wine & bay leaf stage and, I have to say, it's smelling pretty good ...

Sarah

[david s]

Re: Meatloaf

Frances,
Have just made up your meatloaf which I will cook tomorrow,
Thanks it sounds delicious.

[david s]

Re: Meatloaf

Sounds like you've got it all worked out. We try to cook something else after pizzas, seems like such a waste of usable heat if you don't, trouble is the pizza is so filling we're usually not thinking about more food. I think the secret is in the planning.

[Jed]

Re: Meatloaf

Dusty,

I use similar pots in the oven on a regular basis. The last great meal to come from the pot (and the oven) is a variation on pork and beans; call it 'bambi and beans'. We made a venison sausage this year that tastes great, and it went into the pot with a couple onions, a pound of pinto beans, a can of stewed tomatoes, a bunch of garlic and other seasonings. The day after cooking pizza, I put it in the oven in early evening, and forgot about it till the next morning, so it was in the oven for maybe 12 or 14 hours? Came out great. Went into a 350 F degree oven, and came out of a 250 F degree oven. They are magic pots..

My first meal to come from the oven on a curing fire was a pulled pork dish. Again the pot stayed in the oven over night and turned a grizzly old pork shoulder into delicious sandwich meat... uhm tasty!

PhotoPlog - Cooking

The pot helps use the retained heat from the oven. We will cook up pizza's, and they are great, but now the oven is hot --- what are you going to cook next? The pot opens the door on a wide range of good food! and allows you to use the heat you put into the oven. First pizza, then calzone to use the left over pizza stuff, then bread, any roasting (you can use the pot for this also) then cookies, and then the pot... just follow the heat curve right on down with the appropriate cooking..

JED

[egalecki]

Re: Meatloaf

Indeed I do use it in the oven for those things. Once the oven's less than 300 degrees. With the nice heavy lid, I've never even had to add water to most things unless I didn't put enough in to begin with. I put the pot in and put the door on and leave it for several hours.

You could put a pork shoulder in and make pulled pork too...If you pot's big enough.

[Archena]

Re: Meatloaf

But in your oven?

I'm certain that it was given to me to use in my oven.

here's what it looks like.

dusty

Hi Dusty,

Yup, that's a dutch oven and yes, you use it in the oven. Think of it as a primitive slow cooker. You can also use it on a campfire - which is what it was originally designed for (open fire cooking, that is). Either way, it cooks slowly and wonderfully.

Try it, you'll like it!

[dusty]

Re: Meatloaf

Hey Dusty- I cook beans and stews in my dutch oven. And pot roasts. I bet you could cook meatloaf in it too, come to think of it.

But in your oven?

I'm certain that it was given to me to use in my oven.

here's what it looks like.

dusty

[egalecki]

Re: Meatloaf

Hey Dusty- I cook beans and stews in my dutch oven. And pot roasts. I bet you could cook meatloaf in it too, come to think of it.

[dmun]

Re: Meatloaf

and a partridge in a pear tree.

One time, in France, I actually saw a bunch of partridges in a pear tree. What were they doing? Eating the pears!

[Frances]

Re: Meatloaf

but as for the dutch oven thing, by far the coolest looking of them all, I have no idea what to bake in there.

Cook the partridge in it of course!

Seriously, those things are great for stews. Shove in virtually any combination of meat and veggies with some kind of (alcoholic) liquid, some seasoning and then simmer for an hour or three. Lovely with dumplings on top, too!

Or a large piece of roast meat. Or that recipe for no-knead bread.

Oatmeal in meat loaf? Hmm... sounds good, I'll have to try that.

[Xabia Jim]

Re: Meatloaf

We use a mixture of meats....beef, pork and veal.....wonder how a Lamb meatloaf would be?....anyway, other key ingredeints include oatmeal soaked in red wine and the tomato paste.

A fun variation is to put whole boiled eggs in the loaf and have them in your slices.

We make a big batch and freeze a couple.